


missing moments.

by feyre_darling



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Scenes, Anne Shirley - Freeform, Bascially lots of moments these guys could have had in the show, Based on the 'we were robbed' art series by @jossrezz on instagram, Because i love that art so much and i really needed to write it ok, But the show runners decided to ROB US, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Gilbert Blythe - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Just two dorks being in love with each other, Missing Moments, Missing Scene, Please go look at their art right now thank you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feyre_darling/pseuds/feyre_darling
Summary: some little chapters based on the BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK of @jossrezz on Instagram, of MISSING MOMENTS we could have had between Anne and Gilbert in the series, but that never happened!  (please go check the artwork it is stunning and I felt absolutely COMPELLED to write something about it!)/1. Gilbert inquires about cufflinks and finds a girl crying over a cake instead./2. Anne comes back from the orphanage and Gilbert can tell everything is certainly not "fine."/3. Anne runs out from dance practice and Gilbert decides to go after her.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 36
Kudos: 180





	1. Have you been chopping onions?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Just a quick note before you start reading (bold of me to assume people will actually read this lmao), these chapters are my own work but are HEAVILY inspired by @jossrezz on Instagram, and their little series of drawings called 'WE WERE ROBBED.' there are like 5 parts and I would recommend you go check them out RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I LOVE THEM A LOT.
> 
> enjoy!! xxxx

When Gilbert walked into the kitchen, he almost didn’t notice she was crying. To be honest with himself- and, he hated the fact that this was the only thing his mind was occupied with at the time- he was too busy thinking about those stupid cufflinks to really take in what was around him. He saw her as he opened the door to the house, wiping his boots on the mat and shutting the door with a soft click. “Hi there. Is Matthew home?”

Anne wiped at her nose and brushed the hair furiously back behind her ears. She seemed surprised to see him- caught off guard, a little bit- though he was too preoccupied at the time to really wonder why. Strands of red hair covered her eyes, straggling in front of them messily, half pulled out at the back like she’d been asleep on it; she sniffed loudly as he approached, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. 

“I was hoping to borrow a pair of cufflinks?” Gilbert asked slowly. He didn’t mean for it to sound like a question, but it came out that way- partly because she seemed to be staring right at him, like a rabbit caught in headlights, almost frightened of something in front of her. For a strange moment he wondered if it was him she was frightened of. When she didn’t reply, he turned around slightly, and seeing there was nothing behind him, swivelled back to where she stood.

That’s when he noticed the tears- running slowly down her cheeks, as if they’d only just fallen. For a moment, there was an awkward silence as they stood there, facing each other, Anne sniffing occasionally, still staring at him with wide eyes. She seemed poised on the edge of her toes, like a bird about to take flight, and Gilbert realised with a sudden blow to his insides that he was most likely only making the situation worse by standing there in her kitchen, watching her cry like an idiot. 

Slowly, he stepped forward; hesitant, in case she decided to run. “Anne?” He said her name softly- he could think of nothing else to say. She stayed quiet, eyes cast downward, fresh tears still flowing silently out of them. He stepped forward again, closer. “What’s wrong?” 

“She would’ve loved it.” Anne spoke quietly, as if she was scared talking any louder would make her start crying even more. “Mary. She would have loved it.”

“Mary?” Gilbert looked down at the table. The cake had only just come out of the oven, and the faint smell of vanilla wafted up towards him as it sat there in the tin. He was suddenly overcome with how much it reminded him of her, of the days she would bake and sing and bounce Delphine up and down on her hip all at the same time. He missed having her in the house, when it was warm and filled with laughter. It was too quiet now, even with Bash and the baby. There was something missing, an integral part of his family that would never feel okay again, no matter how hard he tried to forget. Gilbert realised with a horrible, sharp pang of guilt, that he hadn't really let himself think about Mary over the past few weeks. At all. He was too busy thinking about...

Well, thinking about cufflinks.

“Did you make this?” It was a stupid question, but he didn’t really know what else to say. Anne nodded. Her voice cracked a little as she spoke. 

“For the fair.” 

“Oh.” 

God, he was making such a fool of himself. Here he was, standing awkwardly in the middle of Anne’s kitchen while she cried right in front of him, staring gormlessly at her and having nothing to say except “Oh.” 

He could picture Mary laughing at him, then; holding onto the kitchen counter and bursting into a fit of giggles as she pointed. “Honestly, Gilbert.” He heard her say, almost as if she were there right beside him. “Stop standing there gawking and give the girl a hug for heaven’s sake!”

So he did. 

One minute, they were standing apart- Anne wiping her eyes furiously and trying her best not to look him in the eye, an embarrassed pink blush creeping up her cheeks- and the next his arms were wrapped gently around her shoulders. She tensed at first, and Gilbert though suddenly that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea; but just as he was about to pull away, she brought her arms around to his back and hugged tightly, sniffing into his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be doing this. I’m sick.” She said hoarsely, lifting her head slightly. Gilbert chuckled.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind catching it.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” Gilbert realised his eyes were shut, but he didn’t try to open them. He only let his head fall lower, so far that her hair tickled his cheek. Anne sniffed again. She was still crying; her tears making damp tracks on the shoulder of his shirt.

“I wish she was here.” Anne said tearfully, voice wavering again. “I wish she could see it. Be part of it. It feels like such a waste when she’s not here with us. I miss her, Gilbert.”

Gilbert sighed heavily. He was starting to tear up too, but he clenched his jaw shut and forced himself not to cry. “I know. I miss her too.”

“Why do all the good people have to go? The world is such a brighter place with them in it.” Anne choked back a tiny sob, and Gilbert’s grip on her tightened involuntarily. He could feel his eyes brimming with tears- one slipped out and trailed down his cheek, followed by another, and another, and soon he was crying quietly, too, clutching onto her with his face almost buried in her hair.

“Are you crying?” Anne’s voice was muffled by Gilbert’s shoulder. He shook his head.

“No.” 

Anne laughed thickly. “Liar.”

“Shut up.” 

Slowly, Gilbert began to release his grip. Anne pulled away too, and soon they were standing as they were when he first came in, the cake still sat in its tin on the kitchen table. But something was different. He felt lighter than he had done before- like a huge weight he didn’t know was there had suddenly been lifted from his chest and left him breathing in real air for the first time in a long time. Anne looked the same. Her chest rose and fell evenly, but in her expression Gilbert could tell she wasn’t used to breathing properly, either. 

“Uh…” Anne looked around, sounding almost breathless. “You said you needed something?”

“Oh. Yes. Cufflinks.” He had completely forgotten. “I thought Matthew might have some?” 

It was then that Matthew came through the back door, carrying the most enormous radish Gilbert had ever seen. “My, that radish is spectacular!” He exclaimed, rather over-excitedly. There was a strange tension in the air that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, and he felt it was rather necessary to say something else to get rid of it. Matthew chuckled. He peered in through the doorway, radish in hand, and his face darkened slightly.

“Are you two…um…alright?”

Gilbert almost jumped with surprise. He had forgotten he had been crying. It seemed as though every second with Anne made him forget whatever else was going on around him.

He had no idea how she managed it. 

“Uh…” He stumbled awkwardly around with words, unsure of what to say, embarrassed at being caught out. Fortunately, Anne came to his rescue, plastering on a tight smile and directing it towards Matthew. 

“Don’t worry, everything’s fine. I’ve just been…chopping onions.”


	2. How did things go with your search?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! he's another chapter inspired by the beautiful drawings of @jossrezz on Instagram. I hope you like my interpretation!
> 
> This is a missing scene from the train after Anne's visit to the orphanage. <3

"Oh, Princess Cordelia?"

The voice was sickly sweet and high pitched, but Anne recognised it immediately. She shrank further into the corner of the dormitory, scrunching herself smaller into a ball with the backs of her hands pressed onto her knees, palms covering her eyes almost as if she might be able to make herself disappear just by closing them.

The girl who the voice belonged to let out an ugly cackle. "I know you're in here!" She called out. "There's no point hiding, Cordelia."

Her boots thumped slowly on the floor as she made her way along the rows of beds lined up against the wall, stopping now and then to tear back the covers from one, or kick the bed frame of another. From where Anne crouched, hidden behind the cabinet at the far end of the room, she could see the girl advancing at a sickeningly slow pace; and as she stopped in front of the cabinet a few moments later, laughing incredulously, Anne knew at once she had been caught.

"Does Princess Cordelia need a hand getting out of there?" The girl grunted as she pushed the cabinet aside and pulled Anne up from the floor with one arm, grabbing her so hard it hurt, half dragging her across the floor room to the wall where she slammed her back into it with a painful thud.

"Please let go of me." Anne whispered to the face that was mere inches away from her own. She grimaced and tried to pull away as the girl leaned in closer, smiling grimly and showing her rows of yellow teeth.

"Oh, but we were having so much fun!" The girl raised her eyebrows in surprise. When Anne tried desperately to wriggle away a second time, the she tightened her grip on Anne's wrist, and Anne couldn't help but whimper in pain. 

"You're hurting me." 

The girl scoffed, and leaned in closer. "Good." She snarled. "I meant to." And with one swift motion, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the dead mouse that Anne knew she was hiding, but was hoping she would decide not to use.

"Uh-oh." The girl tilted her head and surveyed the mouse dangling between her fingers. "Look what we have here."

She grinned, eyes glittering dangerously, and just as Anne started to scream, the train jolted over a bump and shook her back into reality.

"Anne?" Gilbert stared at her from his place at her side, eyes wide, scanning her face as if he were looking for something but not quite finding it. "I said, how did things go with your search?"

Anne blinked. "Oh. Fine." She said after a moment, and turned back to fix her eyes on the seat in front. "Fine." 

Gilbert nodded slowly, but out of the corner of her eye Anne could see he was unsure. But he didn't pester her, just turned his head back to gaze out of the window at the hills rolling past. Anne was grateful; she didn't feel like talking, and even if she did, she would probably end up crying or insulting him like she did on the way there. She supposed she should apologise, but right now she felt too strange to say anything, and she was scared her wavering voice might give away the fact that she was shaking harder than Marilla's washing line on a windy day.

But she didn't have to say anything, oddly enough, because after a few moments of silence between them, she felt something brush lightly against her hand. When she didn't move away, Gilbert's hand moved slightly further- not holding her hand, but close.

Anne's heartbeat fluttered rapidly inside her chest. She started fixedly straight in front of her and gave a shuddering sigh that she hadn't meant to let out, but somehow it happened anyway, sending a tremor through her entire body. By the way the muscles in Gilbert's jaw tensed, she knew he must have felt it. 

For some reason, unbeknownst even to herself, she didn't pull away when his hand moved to lay on top of her own, gently unfurling her fingers from where they were gripping tightly onto her skirt. She didn't pull away, either, as he linked their fingers together; or when his thumb lightly brushed over the back of her hand. She wasn't looking down- god, she was too nervous about what was happening to move her eyes from the seat in front- but she could feel him start to draw circles, or patterns, or something, and all of a sudden the trembling stopped and she thought she might as well stay there forever, if it was all right with him.

The journey went fast after that. It was only when the train lurched to a sudden stop outside the station, Anne realised she should probably let go of his hand. She looked up, and Gilbert met her eyes. His own eyes widened as her gaze flicked down to their intertwined hands, and he let go immediately, clearing his throat.

"We should...go." He gestured to the front of the carriage, and Anne nodded curtly. She stood up and lead the way out onto the platform, Gilbert following closely behind her. When they were halfway home, Anne coughed nervously.

"Gilbert, I'm sorry about earlier."

Gilbert frowned. "You're sorry about...on the train? Just now?"

"Oh! No, not that." Anne shook her head, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry about I how I spoke to you. On the train this morning. I shouldn't have said that, it was... it was rude. I'm sorry."

Gilbert's eyebrows raised upwards, and his mouth curved into a slight smile. "You don't need to apologise." He said gently. "I understand."

They didn't talk the rest of the way, but somehow they didn't need to. 

And when Gilbert stopped outside the gate of Green Gables and handed her a small purple flower, a rosy blush creeping up his cheeks, hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly- it's for you, Anne"- she she couldn't have been happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now I can't stop picturing Gilbert tensing his jaw but you know what I'm not even mad about it 🤷🏼♀️
> 
> this is for u joss!!!!! I'm not completely happy w it but it's been in the works for weeks and I think it should just be posted lol I hope u love it xxx


	3. Walking home after dance practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! sorry it has been so long since i've updated this series, but i suddenly had a load of inspiration and wrote this in one sitting!! i hope you love it, and thank you again to @jossrezz on instagram for inspiring this little chapter. please go check them out if you haven't already <3
> 
> \- this is inspired by joss's drawing: 'After they ran out from dance practice, Anne hears her name being called and turns around to find: GILBERT!' ;)

As soon as the dance ended, Anne headed straight for the coat rack, feeling hot and flustered and sort of sweaty, as if she’d been dancing for four hours instead of thirty minutes.

It wasn’t as if she was embarrassed, of course. They’d been dancing quite normally, her and Gilbert- just doing what Mrs Lynde had told them to do like everyone else, following the steps and pretending to enjoy what they were doing until it was finished and they could head back home.

Except, she _did_ enjoy it. That was the strange thing. It was awkward at first, figuring out how to hold his hand and where to look and how to move without stepping on his toes or bumping shoulders whenever they turned. But it didn’t take long for it to become natural, easy; almost like they’d been doing it together for years. 

That wasn’t the part that scared her the most, though. It was the way he looked at her- or at least the way she _thought_ he looked at her, though her imagination had a habit of running rife most of the time and she had no idea whether she’d just made it up in her head or not. Every time they turned it was like he was staring at her, mouth curved upwards into a small smile, eyes sparkling a little in the corners, looking completely and utterly content and happier than she’d seen him in a very long time. He was staring right into her soul- that’s what it felt like.

But it wasn’t the kind of staring that Anne absolutely detested, like in class when she would feel Charlie’s eyes on her and look to the side to see him smiling awkwardly. That kind of staring made her stomach roll- and _not_ in a good way. No, with Gilbert, it was the complete opposite. It made her stomach roll in the best way possible, like hundreds of little butterflies fluttering around in there making her head spin and her whole body flushed with heat.

Oh, god. Anne realised what she’d been thinking. Butterflies? How ridiculous. 

Putting on her hat, she turned around quickly, and came face to face with none other than the person who, _apparently_ , according to her wonderfully outrageous imagination, had put an entire army of butterflies inside of her stomach. Gilbert was pulling on his hat, too, and there was a split second where they both stood there, completely frozen, hands raised towards their heads and sort of stuck in mid-air. He looked confused, and slightly dazed- eyebrows furrowed, jaw tensed as his eyes flickered up towards her face and then back down to the floor. Anne noticed he was breathing heavily, face flushed a pale red colour, and for a moment she didn’t know what to think. _Is that because of me? Did I do that?_ But then she realised what they’d just been doing- dancing- and suddenly her thoughts seemed even more outrageous. With a sharp inhale and the briefest of glances, Anne moved past him and ran straight out of the schoolroom door without so much as a smile goodbye. 

She’d barely made it out when a voice called her name from behind, and for a brief, horrible second she thought it belonged to Charlie. _Don’t look, don’t look,_ she thought, as if ignoring him would make him disappear somehow. _Just keep walking. Don’t turn around._

“Anne!” The voice called again, but this time Anne heard it differently. It was deeper, softer- not Charlie’s voice at all, but Gilbert’s. 

“Hey…” Gilbert caught up with her, one hand clutching his bag, the other stuck in his pocket. His cheeks were still a rosy pink colour, and he was still breathing hard, but as Anne stopped to wait for him he took a deep inhale and blew it out steadily. 

“Um…hi?” She said slowly, not trusting herself to say anything else without sounding like she’d just been hit in the gut with a lead pipe, or something to that degree. It came out more like a question than an actual greeting, and the corners of Gilbert’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. He seemed to have regained his composure since he’s come outside, and he spoke to her so easily as they began to walk that Anne started to think she had just imagined everything before.

“You don’t sound very sure about that hi, Anne.” He said, a hint of amusement in his voice. Anne sighed.

“No, I was… never mind.” She looked at the floor, cheeks burning, unable to move her gaze up to his face. “Are you glad that it’s over, then?”

“The dancing, you mean?”

Anne nodded, still keeping her eyes on the ground. It was getting harder to see where she was going without looking straight ahead, and she found herself as they walked down the path getting more and more confused at the direction she was walking.

“No, not really.” Gilbert said. “It was kind of fun, once we got into it. Why, are _you_ glad it’s over?”

 _No,_ Anne thought. _Absolutely not._

“Sort of.” She lied. “I’m not much of a dancer, that’s all.”

Beside her, Gilbert let out a soft chuckle. “That was pretty great for ‘not much of a dancer.’” 

“You think so?”

“Yeah. You were good. Way better than Bash, anyway.”

“Oh, well, that’s certainly the highest compliment a girl could ask for, seeing as his dancing is some of the best I’ve seen in Avonlea.” Anne smirked. She couldn’t help but smile at that, thinking about Bash and his ridiculous half-dancing half-flailing around he always did in the kitchen to try and make Dellie laugh. After a moment, she realised Gilbert had gone silent, and when she finally looked up at him she noticed his eyes had lost a little of their sparkle. 

“How is he?” She asked tentatively. Gilbert sighed heavily, taking off his cap to run a hand through his dishevelled curls. It had been a while since Mary had passed away, but Anne knew it would take a lot longer for Bash to move on than anyone else- she was surprised he was even _remotely_ okay, considering how much he loved her. If Anne ever loved someone that much, she was sure she wouldn’t be able to live without them.

“He’s getting there. Not as lively as he was, but I guess that’s normal.”

“Hmm.” Anne hummed a reply, and they walked on in silence for a while until Gilbert stopped abruptly and turned to face her. His face looked the same as it did when they were dancing, she realised, only a lot more intense- and suddenly the butterflies started up again, fluttering around more violently this time and making her feel a bit lightheaded. 

“Anne..” He started to say something, but Anne cut him off- out of sheer panic, maybe, she didn’t really know. His eyes were locked intently on her own, and with a sudden pang she realised where she had seen that look before. 

“I should go. Home, I mean.” She said quickly. Gilbert’s nose wrinkled as he looked at her in confusion.

“You’re already going home.” He pointed out.

 _Oh. That’s right, I am._

“Oh, uh…” Anne faltered, and she let her eyes drop from his face to the gravel beneath her feet once again. “Well, then, _you_ should go. Home. It’ll take you ages if you go this way, so you might as well just turn around and take the other way back.”

She knew it sounded rude, but for some reason she couldn’t stop herself. Gilbert, however, didn’t seem to find it that way- or, if he did, he didn’t say anything. He just tugged the strap of his bag a little tighter and cleared his throat. 

“Yeah, I guess so. But I wanted to walk with you, so… I don’t mind walking a little further.”

“Oh.” Anne realised she’s stopped walking- and she could feel Gilbert still staring intently at her, though she wasn’t looking at him. It was only when he said, “Anne, look at me” in such a soft tone that she felt compelled to meet his eyes again.

“Yes?” she asked, thinking he was going to say something- thinking that was why he wanted her to look at him. But he just shook his head slightly and smiled as if he knew something she didn’t. 

“Never mind. Come on, let’s go. Marilla will have a fit if you’re not back in time.”

As they walked, side by side, Anne thought about what she had realised. The way Gilbert was looking at her had reminded her suddenly of something else- the way Bash looked at Mary. That’s where she had seen that look before.

For some reason, it didn’t bother her half as much and she expected it to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol sorry charlie i don't hate u but please m o v e a w a y from gil's girl if you wouldn't mind :/

**Author's Note:**

> @jossrezz, if you're reading this THANK YOU FOR THE INSPIRATION. I love your work A LOT. <3
> 
> hope you enjoyed. it might be garbage but never mind hahaha


End file.
